Steam-engine construction



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STEIII ENGINE CONSTRUCTION.

APPLICATION FILED III/m23, 191e.

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STEAM ENGINE CONSTRUCTION.

APPLICATION FILED IIIAII.23, I9I6.

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CLIFTON REEVES, OF TRENTN, NEW JERSEY.

STEAM-ENGINE CONSTRUCTION.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 13, 1920.

Application filed March 23, 1916. Serial No. 86,066.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, CLIFTON REEvEs, of Trenton, in the county of Mercer, and in the State of New Jersey, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Steam- Engine Construction, and do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof.

My invention relates particularly to engines provided with devices for permitting the flow of steam in general in one direction, and which are known under the term uniiow engines.

The object of my invention is to provide a valve mechanism for engines of this type, which is provided with an auxiliary port connection with the engine cylinder, and which is operated to remove the compression during the return stroke of the piston when, for any reason, there is a back pressure in the exhaust from the engine, as, for ex! ample, when the condenser is not operating or is only partially operative, or when there is a back pressure due to a heating system supplied with the exhaust from the engine.

A further object of my invention is to provide an apparatus of the above character, in which the valve controlling the auxiliary port is automatically shifted to open or closed position, according to the presence or absence of such back pressure and without shocks.

A further object of my invention is to provide such an apparatus which may be adjusted at will according to the conditions under which the engine is to operate.

Vhile my invention is capable of embodiment in many different forms, for the purpartly in section.

In the drawings I have shown a suitable base 1, having located therein a pair of cylinders 2 and 2n. The cylinders 2 and 2a and the parts connected thereto are constructed alike and I shall, therefore, only describe in detail one of said cylinders.

The cylinder 2 has a plurality of exhaust ports 3 which communicate with an annular chamber 4 leading to an exhaust pipe 5. Cn the top of the cylinder 2 there is a head 6 having an inlet port 7 for steam and a chamber 8 for superheated steam so as to maintain the head at a high temperature. A piston 9 moves in the cylinder 2, the same being connected by a piston rod 10 to a crank 11 on a crank shaft 12 supported in the base 1. At the side of the cylinder 2 there is a port 13 connected by a passageway 14C located in a valve casing 15, having a valve 16 therein of the Corliss type, but of special desiOn to suit the requirements. rJhis valve 16 has a recess 17 for bringing the passageway 1A into communication with an exhaust port 18 located in the valve casing 15. Said valve 16 also has a similar recess 19 which is arranged to bring the exhaust port 18 into communication with a passageway 20 leading to the cylinder 2a. On the end of the valve 16 there is a lever armv21 which is connected by a ball joint 22 to an arm 23 havingV its lower end carried by a sliding block 24 adapted to move in a slot 25 in a lever 26, having a fixed pivot 27 on a bracket 28 attached to the base 1. rThis lever 26 has, furthermore, at one end thereof, a screw 29 for limiting the movement of the block 2e in the slot 25. Said arm 23 is pivotally connected by a piston rod 30 to a piston 31 in a cylinder 32 connected by a pipe 33 to the exhaust. Connected to the exhaust there may be provided a condenser of the usual type, or a heating system, or both. The piston rod 30 has a slot 34 to receive a pin 35 on a lever 36 connected to a shaft 37 carried by the bracket 23. On the shaft 37 there is fixed a weighted arm 38 which insures forward movement of piston rod 30 when the desired pressure (or vacuum) is not maintained in the exhaust. Pivctally connected to the slotted arm 26 there is an eccentric rod 39 operating on an eccentric 40, carried on the crank shaft 12.

In the operation of my invention, steam is admitted to the cylinders 2 and 2a, thus causthe pistons therein to move in their cylinders. These pistons move in opposite directions simultaneously in the cylinders. The piston 9, for example, is moved downwardly by the steam until it uncovers the ports 3, whereupon the steam is exhausted through the pipe 5. Then the piston 9 has reached the lowermost portion of its path of movement it begins to ascend and then covers the ports 3. As soon as this takes place, in case the condenser has been operating properly, the valve 16 will remain in its middie or closed position. That is to say, when the valve mechanism is in this position the block 24 will overlie the pivot 27 so as not to move the arm 23. In case, however, there is for any reason undue pressure in the cylinder, piston 3l will be advanced in cylinder 32, by reason of the communication between such cylinder and the exhaust through pipe 33, and the consequent movement of piston rod will throw arm 23 to a position more remote from pivot 27. rIhe reciprocation of the eccentric rod 39 will then move the valve I6 through the agency of the arm 21, thus exhausting some of the steam from the rear of the piston 9. 'Ihe same will, of course, take place in the other cylinder 2a when vsimilar conditions are present. Whenever desired, the range of movement oi" the block 2% in the slot 25 may be limited by the position of the screw 29.

While I have described my invention above in detail, I wish it to be understood that many changes may be .made therein without departing from the spirit of my invention.

I claim:

l. In combination, a pair of cylinders having inlet and exhaust ports, and auxiliary exhaust ports located between the same, a

two-way valve connected to said latter exhaust ports, and means controlled by the back pressure on thecylinders for actuating said valve to relieve alternately the compression in said cylinders.

2. In combination, a pair of cylinders having inlet and exhaust ports, and auxiliary exhaust ports located between the same, a two-way valve connected to said latter exhaust ports, an operating arm for said valve, and means for controlling the range ci' movement of said arm responsive to changes in the back pressure on the cylinders.

3. In combination, a pair or1 cylinders having inlet and exhaust ports, and auxiliary exhaust ports located between the same, a two-way valve connected to said latter exhaust ports, an operating arm for said valve, a slotted link actuated from the crank shaft engaging said arm, and an exhaust controlled piston connected to said arm.

In testimony that I claim the Yl'foregoing I have hereunto set my hand.

CLIFTON REEVES,

Witnesses ALVIN W. SYKEs, M. II. PLAM. 

